31. Extended Epilogue
Amy
One Year Later
Oh my gosh.
I stare down at the test on the counter, trying to take deep, even breaths. It’s been eight months since we started trying, and I was almost about to give up...
“Are you okay in there?” Parker calls from the other side of the door. “You’re stressing me out. Is your stomach still bothering you? Did you catch something at work? Do I need to get you some Pedialyte or something?”
I burst into laughter. “No, no, I don’ t think so.”
“Why’re you laughing? You said that Nellie has been sick for a week now. I don’t want you sick that long ... you know what throwing up does to me. It’s not fun cleaning up after both of us...”
“Parker, stop,” I say, whipping the bathroom door open. “I’m not going to be throwing up—well, actually, I don’t know. I might.”
He gives me an incredulous look, standing there looking as hot as ever shirtless and in a pair of black sweatpants. “Okay, now you’re really confusing me. What happened? Do you have a fever? The last time you had the flu you did act a little weird...”
“Babe,” I say calmly, and then hold out the test.
His eyes drop to my outstretched hand, his entire body freezing. “What...”
“Just look at it.”
“Holy...” He stares down at it. “I can’t... You’re... We’re...”
“Yeah,” I say, already knowing what he’s trying to get out. “I’m pregnant. Finally . We did it.”
“We did it.” He looks up at me. “We did it!” Parker throws a fist up into the air and sweeps me up into his arms, planting a kiss on my lips as he spins me around. “Man, we’re gonna have a baby.” He beams as he sets me down on the floor. “What should we do? Which room should be the nursery? Should we move out of the city?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “I think you should start by taking a deep breath. We’ll figure that all out later.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” he says, letting out a sharp breath. “It’s just so ... incredible. I was starting to think... That we might have a problem.”
I grin. “We don’t have a problem.”
“We’re great babymakers,” he says, pulling me into another hug. “I have to call my dad and Susie. They’re going to be thrilled.”
“Yeah, I think your dad is going to win the bet.”
He tilts his head back to gaze down at me. “What bet?”
“You didn’t know?” I say, feigning my surprise. “They’ve had a bet going. Your dad thought we would have a baby first, but Susie thought Brittany would. And I’m pretty sure they’re leveraging an Alaskan cruise versus a Caribbean one.”
“They’re so weird.” He crinkles his nose. “Ever since Dad bought in on the mechanic shop, he’s been taking a lot of vacations.”
I shrug. “Whatever floats his boat.”
He laughs. “You float my boat.”
I swat him and roll my eyes. “Let’s make another bet.” I grin.
He steps back, narrowing his eyes at me. “What’re we supposed to bet on? Because I can already tell you that I’m going to win.”
“Oh really?” I tease, running my finger down his bare chest.
His eyes darken and he grabs my hand and pulls my lips to his in a hot kiss. “You know what that does to me.”
I giggle as I pull away and kiss his nose. “All this time and I still get to you.” I smile, thinking back to all the time we’ve spent together—and it’s still not enough. I don’t know if I’ll ever have enough of Parker.
“Back to the bet.” Parker raises his brows. “I’m way too interested in this to let anything else get in the way. What’re we betting on? ”
“I bet that we’re having a boy,” I say, running my hand over my stomach.
“Ooh, I like this bet. I’ll definitely bet it’s a girl. I think the world could stand to have a few mini-yous.”
“A few?” I question, giving him a look. “Are you trying to say we’re having triplets or something?”
He burst into laughter. “Oh heck no. I don’t think I can handle three babies at one time. That’s a lot of poopy diapers.”
I giggle. “You’re too cute.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, yeah. What happens if I win the bet?”
I purse my lips. “Um ... I’ll let you buy a motorcycle.”
“I don’t want a motorcycle anymore. My rebel days are over now. I’m going to be a father.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, then what do you want?”
“Just you.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “I always just want you.”
“Okay, so are we going to bet on a vacation?”
“Yeah, how about a babymoon? If I win, we’re going somewhere cold.”
I crinkle my nose. “Fair enough. If I win, we’re going to the beach.”
“Perfect,” Parker murmurs, leaning down and brushing his nose against mine. “It’s a really good thing that I like the mountains and the beach. I think I’ll just be thankful that I’m going with you.”
My fingers brush along his jaw, feeling the stubble from a night of no shaving. “I have to say that I love the mountains, too, but I also like the idea of having a little Parker running around. ”
“Well, a girl might have my sass.” Parker chuckles, kissing the top of my head. “And a boy might have your wild ways.”
“My wild ways?” I make a face. “I’m not wild.”
“You did dance on the coffee table after two glasses of wine last month,” Parker reasons. “It was quite a show.”
“Yeah, well, no more wine for me,” I say, reaching up and bopping him on the nose. “Not for a solid nine months, I think.”
“I’m okay with that.” He smiles, his face full of love as he gazes down at me. My heart grows warm in my chest...
And it stays that way.
Even five months later, when we’re sitting around a fire in the Colorado Rockies.
Expecting a girl.
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